NINE!

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby boy today!!  I can't believe how fast nine years have gone by since you came into our lives.  What an amazing adventure it's been so far! 

I love you, buddy!

Another Valentine's come and gone.

Our Valentine's started early this year, when the Mister woke me up with this fun surprise on Saturday. :)


Yes, that's the cup that was in there when I found it. :)

Goodness, we've drunk more coffee in the past week than we have probably in the past two months!

And then on Sunday, we woke up to Dippin' Dots falling from the sky. :)

The dippin' dots turned into real snow, and school was cancelled on Monday. It's not often we get a snow day around here.  Talk about excited kids!  The day warmed up, the snow melted, and the kids spent the afternoon outside.  Perfect day!

On Tuesday, we had so much fun!  Our traditional Valentine's scavenger hunt ended with a twist this year....presents!

Jacob running to the mail box for the next clue.

Kloe found the loot in the freezer....and another clue telling them there was more to be found!

Searching the car for presents!

Found 'em!

Tennis rackets for everyone!





Haha - this doesn't look too appetizing, does it?  It actually was delicious!  Our red dinner: chicken parmesan (The Mister like the sauce on top of the cheese...he says the other way makes the chicken breading soggy), red potatoes, and cherry tomatoes. :)

Now this looks much more yummy!

Another very fun Valentine's Day in the books!

Valentines

Yesterday was Jacob's school Valentine's party, which you know I love getting ready for. :) Kloe was so bummed that they don't have parties in middle school. "The teachers say we're too oh-old," she moaned to me. Poor kid. I'd be sad, too, without a Valentine's party!  I loved Valentine's day even as a kid.  I love, love, loved decorating my shoebox every year for my friends to drop their little notes of love into.  Such fun memories.  I'm a little sad that the kids don't do that anymore.  (Actually, Jacob's class did it last year, but I don't think Kloe has ever gotten to.)

I loved this game.  Jacob's class had a substitute (brave man, subbing on party day!).  Jacob informed me that, "He's NOT Chinese.  He's from in between China and Japan."  *grin*  Mr. C. was fabulous with the kids, and they loved him.  Anyway, he had them play this great game where they passed candy conversation hearts down the row using chop sticks.  It was so much fun to watch HIM do it (pro), and then watch the kids try. :)



While we do often oversleep (a lot of night owls in our house), it actually WAS pajama day. :)

We made these fun Valentines again this year.  I found these a couple of years ago over at Holly's blog, and we just love them!  I would make them every year from now on if my kids would let me. :)  Jacob thought it was fun to compare this year's to last year's.  "I looked so young!" he said. haha

And we're making these cute i-pod Valentines to give to Kloe's friends next Tuesday....

....except we're using Hershey Kisses instead of Reese's cups for the earphones.  You can find the pattern at Family Fun online.  Good for tweens and still pretty cute.

The big day's almost here....I can't wait! :)

Guess what's almost here???

Remembering.

Tiny Talk Tuesday

We were in the car the other day and out of the blue Jacob asks, "Mom is it easier to be mean to someone than to poke the eye of a needle into a donkey?"

Hahahaha - crazy mixed up metaphors, Batman!  (I know, it sounds weird, but I don't like saying "holy" something when talking about things other than God.)


**************************************


Watching the Super Bowl.  Halftime show comes on.  Kloe looks at the TV and asks, "She's still alive?!"

BAhahahaha - love it! :)


**************************************


Happy Tuesday, Friends!

Adorable.

Jacob came home from school on Friday with this:

Mom, i'm wanting to go on a moma-Jacob trip.
i'm looking forward to it.

Love.  That night when I was tucking him in bed, I asked, "What kind of trip did you have in mind?  Where do you want to go?"

He said, "Oh, I don't care.  Chuck E. Cheese....or....just anywhere.  I'm just wanting some quality time."

:)

A Day to Myself

So guess what I did on Friday?  It's a shocker - you better sit down.

I TOOK THE DAY OFF.

Can you believe it?  Me neither.  I felt guilty the whole day.

See, usually - for the past few years anyway - I've been off work on Fridays, but all this school year I've been working on Friday mornings.  The original intent was to try to earn a little extra money, but somehow it seems that just about every single week I end up missing a few hours of work here and there during the week for some reason or other, so pretty much all my Fridays have ended up being makeup time instead of extra time.

Oh, how I have missed my quiet, all-by-myself, do-whatever-I-want (even if that means grocery shopping and laundry) Fridays.

So last Friday, I took the day off!  I took the kids to school with no makeup.  In my slippers.  Oh yes I did.  Then I went home and made myself some BREAKFAST.  What a concept.

What to do with my wide-open day?  Ohh, the possibilities.

First, I spent a little time with Karen.

Oddly enough, I'm having a hard time getting into this book.  If you remember, I had never read any of Karen Kingsbury's books before my cruise, but I've loved every one of them I've read since.  This one's just not grabbing my attention.  Maybe because I have so many other books calling to me from the back of my mind.

After that I spent a little time with Stormie.

I love this book.  My copy is worn and highlighted and written in and dog-eared and paper-clipped and full of wisdom and conviction.  Have you read it (or any of her others)?  Love.

When Stormie and I were done, I went to volunteer my usual Friday time in the school office, and then I had lunch at school with Jacob.  That's always an adventure.  :)  There is one lunch monitor who is always so....well....just plain mean.  She is sweet as pie to adults - kind, helpful, friendly - but she talks ugly to the kids and never says a word without yelling at them and telling them how bad they're being.  I hate it.  I've hated it every year since Jacob was in first grade.  Every single time I go eat lunch with him, I start writing a letter to the principal in my mind.  But I'm sure you can guess it's never made it to paper.

I totally get that I have no idea what it's like to deal with that many kids every day - many of whom act ugly and disrespectful themselves.  TOTALLY get it.  But that's no reason to treat them that way even when they're not acting up.  Or really even when they are.  Meanness and yelling don't change kids' behavior.  In fact, it just makes them angry and resentful.  And there's no reason to presume they're going to act up and so be ugly to them from the get-go.  All I can think every time I eat lunch with Jacob is, "These are somebody else's kids.  You just don't treat other people's kids this way."  If you just don't LIKE kids....perhaps some career reconsideration is in order?

Sorry, where was I?  Oh yes, so after lunch I went home and started the crockpot.

I LOVE cooking in the crockpot.  I don't do it nearly enough.  Mainly because I can hardly ever remember to start it in the mornings.  But my day at home was a perfect day for it, and I was so happy to have dinner practically done!

Then, after getting dinner going, I remembered.....I had a 40% off coupon for Hobby Lobby!!  PERFECT!  I headed for Utopia HobLob, as we affectionately refer to it around here, and spent one whole blissful hour, all by myself, moseying and meandering and perusing to my heart's content.  I found a beautiful scrapbook album cover to use with my new Project Life system (that I've been wanting FOR.EV.ER. and asked for for my birthday...and Christmas...but didn't get, so I got one for myself!), and I was so happy to get to use my coupon for it!  I also bought another album cover that was on sale for 40% off, so it was a bonus!

And that was my happy, all-to-myself Friday.  Which, of course, only lasted until it was time to pick up the kids from school.  But still so totally counts in my book.

100 things.

Did you guys do slam books when you were in elementary school (or maybe junior high)? No?

Well, back in the olden days, before cell phones and ipods, we were forced to find entertainment with paper and pen. We would use yarn to tie together a small stack of notebook paper, then decorate the front page as a cover.  On the next page we would write a list of numbers down the left hand side. All your friends would choose a number and write their name beside it.

At the top of each of the other pages you would write a question, and your friends would answer the question next to their number.  Questions like, Who's your best friend?  What kind of music do you listen to?  What class do you love/hate most?  What's your favorite food?  And the all-time favorite...Who do you like? (!)

Ahhh, the good old days.

I LOVED slam books.  Loved making them, loved answering other people's questions, loved reading everyone else's answers.  And I also love those chain emails where you answer a bunch of questions and then forward it to all your friends. ;)  Maybe it's my ego.

Anyway, I've seen those "100 things about me" posts on a few people's blogs, and I love them!  Sort of like a modern-day, computer-age slam book.  And of course I wanted to join the fun.

So here's your chance to click away now.

****

****

Anyone still here?  Ok, let's get going!

101 Things About Me You Always Wanted to Know But Didn't Have a Slam Book to Ask Them In.

1. I was born in Colorado, but we moved to New Mexico when I was 6 months old.
2. My parents divorced when I was about 18 months old.
3. I have lived in four different states: Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida, then Texas again, New Mexico again, and back to Texas.  With many, many, many moves inside each of those states.
4. I hope to never move again.
5. I went to 8 schools by the time I was in the 8th grade. One of them two different times, so that might count as 9.
6. I hated moving so much. Hated always being the new kid in school. Just when I would make friends, we would move. Hated it. Hence #4.
7. We moved to New Mexico when I was in the 8th grade and, although we did move around the area several times, I never had to change schools again. Except to go from junior high to high school.
8. When we moved to New Mexico, I told my mom, “As soon as I graduate, I’m moving back to (the city where I live now). ” And I did. Been here ever since.
9. I don’t like change. At all. See #’s 4 and 6. And 8.
10. I’ve had the same job for almost 17 years. See #9.
11. I was engaged once before I met The Mister.
12. I am one of the LEAST picky eaters you will ever meet. I can only think of a couple of things I don’t like to eat. And….if it’s something I normally like, it’s hard to make it so bad that I won’t eat it.
13. Except, I really don't care for fruit. If it’s already washed, peeled, and cut up I’ll eat it, but it’s not my favorite.
14. Especially bananas.
15. I would love to buy all organic if it weren’t so stinkin’ expensive. Our grocery bill has gone up about 30% over the past year anyway thanks to the economy. Now we’re back to beans and weenies (not necessarily together).
16. I’m a CPA but I hate taxes. And I’m really bad at managing money. Go figure.
17. I love coffee. With lots of cream and sugar stevia.
18. You may not know that I actually invented the Frapaccino before Starbucks did. I just didn’t know that I should have named it and marketed it. :)
19. When I was 10 years old I visited Sea World for the first time (when we lived in Florida), and for the rest of my growing-up years I wanted to be a killer whale trainer when I grew up.
20. I held onto that dream until it actually came time to go to college, and I discovered that Texas A&M was the only school in Texas (at that time) that offered a major in Marine Biology. Even back then, I couldn’t bring myself to be an Aggie, and so gave up the dream. Hmm, marine biology to accounting – big switch, huh?
21. I never loved my major. Which is probably why I hate taxes and am not good with money. But I stuck with it because of #9.
22. It has turned out well, though. Being a CPA has allowed me to have a flexible, part-time work schedule and still be able to contribute to our family's income.
23. Because of that, I get to take my kids to school and pick them up every day, which I’m so thankful for.
24. My love of whales continues to this day, and I was beyond the realm of excitement when I got to play with the beluga whales at Sea World about 12 years ago. Like....in the water with them, giving them commands. Oh my heart.
25. I am an introvert to the max. MAX. I fake it pretty well, though, so most people don’t believe it.
26. I’ve never been good at sports. I played soccer for two seasons when I was about 7 or 8, but that’s it. I actually got a doctor’s note to get out of PE in junior high.
27. And I totally lied to get it.
28. Instead, I was a band geek. And loved every minute of it. Loved marching band. LOVED. Band gave me an instant family when I went to college. (did I mention I loved it?)
29. And that’s why I’m so excited Kloe has chosen to be in band, too. I hope she will love it as much as I did and stick with it.
30. I was drum major my senior year in high school.
31. I was in the band sorority in college.
32. I don’t own sunglasses. I wear glasses and am not able to wear contacts, so I can’t wear fun, cheap sunglasses. It’s expensive having to buy prescription ones, so I have to keep them a few years which makes them always out of style. I actually did buy a pair for my trip to Uganda, but they didn’t come in in time so I didn’t even get to take them with me. And now, would you believe I CAN’T FIND THEM!
33. My mom wanted to name me Samantha Diane, but my dad said no because “no daughter of his was going to be called Sam!” So my mom wanted Valerie Diane, but, um, well, yeah....thanks, Mom, for not giving me those initials. And so I ended up with Valerie Christine. Valerie means “strong” and Christine means “follower of Christ”. Love.
34. I’ve never had a broken bone.
35. I’ve never been in the hospital except to deliver my babies.
36. I’ve never had stitches except when delivering my babies. ;)
37. I interact best with children under the age of 5. It’s been tough going in our house for the last several years. :)
38. I never was much of a sweets-eater until Jacob was born.
39. I've totally made up for it since then.
40. My feet stay cold from October through April.
41. About half-way through a book, I often skip ahead and read the end, then go back and finish it the right way. I’m trying to get better about not doing this.
42. I read veeerryyy slow.
43. I am not crafty.
44. But I wish I was.
45. My favorite color is green. I used to have enough green clothes to fill an entire laundry load.
46. Beth Moore’s Bible studies have changed my life. Most especially “Believing God”. She taught me an amazing love for scripture and changed the way I read it. Changed. My. Life. For real.
47. I cried when I saw her in person in September. Not in some weird, groupie kind of way, but because of what I’ve learned from her about loving Jesus.
48. I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket (not to say I haven’t deserved one).
49. I talk to myself. Out loud. All the time.
50. I had finally just gotten the flossing thing DOWN before I got my braces on. But now I’m not doing it ever again until I get them off. Flossing with braces is HARD and takes FOR.EV.ER.
51. This is my 2nd round with braces.
52. I don't like to drive.
53. But I love to travel.
54. My favorite places to go are San Antonio and Uganda. :)
55. I’m secretly hoping to someday be on the staff of SixtyFeet.
56. I’m really bad at small talk. See #25.
57. I don’t like swimming. But, yes, I can swim.
58. I think the last time I took an actual bath in the tub was when I was pregnant with Kloe. (must be a water thing, huh?)
59. I’m 41 years old and still don’t know what I’m good at. Sigh.
60. Not cooking.
61. Not crafts.
62. Not homemaking.
63. Not money management.
64. Not photography.
65. But I love photography anyway.
66. I prefer the mountains over the ocean.
67. My new favorite ice cream flavor is tiramisu. Mmmm!
68. I love to help people. I love giving to meet physical needs more than giving money, and would rather help hands-on when I can, but love giving money when I can't help in person.
69. I’m pretty sure I’ve never owned a pair of white pants.
70. I get highly worked up over political issues. But avoid talking about it on my blog like the plague.
71. I don’t do sad endings. Period. And if you recommend a movie or a book to me, you better warn me if it has a sad ending.
72. Even without braces, I don’t like chewy, sticky, or gummy candy: jelly beans, gum drops, gummy bears, starburst, now-n-later, tootsie rolls, caramels, etc.
73. Or hard candy.
74. In fact, chocolate is probably the only candy I like.
75. My family knows to let me check the mailbox.
76. I love getting real mail.
77. I’ve seen on some old blogs that there was a “good mail” movement going around bloggy land a few years ago. I think we need to start it up again. Anyone? That would TOTALLY make my day year.
78. My “receiving” love language and my “giving” love language are not the same.
79. My “receiving” language is quality time. Did you know there are two different dialects of quality time? Mine is activities. NOT conversation.
80. My “giving” language is gifts. Can be bad at Christmas.
81. I love reconciling my bank statement.
82. Oh! That’s something I’m good at. :)
83. And 10-key. I do rock at 10-key by touch. (that means I can run an adding machine at the speed of sound without looking) :)
84. I’m an avid list maker. I add things to my list that I’ve already done just so I can feel the satisfaction of marking them off.
85. In Uganda I learned the joy of wearing skirts in the summer heat.
86. I’m not a big fan of jewelry. I wear some, but not much.
87. I took Spanish in junior high, and now can’t speak a word of it except the days of the week and counting to 20.
88. I’ve always wanted to learn sign language.
89. I wish I could find more time for blogging.
90. And scrapbooking.
91. The brothers you hear me talk about on my blog are not really my brothers, they’re my cousins.
92. I do have a half-brother and a step-brother, but I don’t have any interaction with them to speak of.
93. Or my two half-sisters.
94. I hate roller coasters. And flying.
95. I recycle.
96. I’ve never had anything pierced except my ears, and they’re pierced twice.
97. I would secretly like to have a tattoo on my foot. It would say “Believe” in Chinese.
98. I used to be a Creative Memories (scrapbooking supplies) consultant.
99. Now I sell Arbonne. But not actively.
100. I’ve been on two cruises and think they are hands-down the best vacation bang for your buck. So. Much. Fun.
101. I’m an extreme night owl. In fact, I’m probably actually nocturnal. :)

Anybody else wanna play?

Dear American Children....

No more complaining about your walk to school.
(article)